Battle of Gettysburg - American Civil War - HISTORY.com Battle of Gettysburg A+E Networks Introduction The Battle of Gettysburg, fought from July 1 to July 3, 1863, is considered the most important engagement of the American Civil War. After a great victory over Union forces at Chancellorsville, General Robert E. Lee marched his Army of Northern Virginia into Pennsylvania in late June 1863. On July 1, the advancing Confederates clashed with the Union’s Army of the Potomac, commanded by General George G. Meade, at the crossroads town of Gettysburg. The next day saw even heavier fighting, as the Confederates attacked the Federals on both left and right. On July 3, Lee ordered an attack by fewer than 15,000 troops on the enemy’s center at Cemetery Ridge. The assault, known as “Pickett’s Charge,” managed to pierce the Union lines but eventually failed, at the cost of thousands of rebel casualties, and Lee was forced to withdraw his battered army toward Virginia on July 4.

Google Battle of Gettysburg: Lee’s Invasion of the North In May 1863, Robert E. Lee’s Confederate Army of Northern Virginia had scored a smashing victory over the Army of the Potomac at Chancellorsville. Brimming with confidence, Lee decided to go on the offensive and invade the North for a second time (the first invasion had ended at Antietam the previous fall). In addition to bringing the conflict out of Virginia and diverting northern troops from Vicksburg, where the Confederates were under siege, Lee hoped to gain recognition of the Confederacy by Britain and France and strengthen the cause of northern “Copperheads” who favored peace. Did You Know? In November 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered his most famous speech at the dedication of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, eloquently transforming the Union cause into a struggle for liberty and equality--in only 272 words. On the Union side, President Abraham Lincoln had lost confidence in the Army of the Potomac’s commander, Joseph Hooker , who seemed reluctant to confront Lee’s army after the defeat at Chancellorsville.

On June 28, Lincoln named Major General George Gordon Meade to succeed Hooker. Meade immediately ordered the pursuit of Lee’s army of 75,000, which by then had crossed the Potomac River into Maryland and marched on into southern Pennsylvania . Battle of Gettysburg Begins: July 1 Upon learning that the Army of the Potomac was on its way, Lee planned to assemble his army in the prosperous crossroads town of Gettysburg, 35 miles southwest of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. One of the Confederate divisions in A.P. Hill’s command approached the town in search of supplies early on July 1, only to find that two Union cavalry brigades had arrived the previous day. As the bulk of both armies headed toward Gettysburg, Confederate forces (led by Hill and Richard Ewell ) were able to drive the outnumbered Federal defenders back through town to Cemetery Hill, located a half mile to the south. Seeking to press his advantage before more Union troops could arrive, Lee gave discretionary orders to attack Cemetery Hill to Ewell, who had taken command of the Army of Northern Virginia’s Second Corps after Lee’s most trusted general, Thomas J.

“Stonewall” Jackson, was mortally wounded at Chancellorsville. Ewell declined to order the attack, considering the Federal position too strong; his reticence would earn him many unfavorable comparisons to the great Stonewall. By dusk, a Union corps under Winfield Scott Hancock had arrived and extended the defensive line along Cemetery Ridge to the hill known as Little Round Top; three more Union corps arrived overnight to strengthen its defenses. Battle of Gettysburg, Day 2: July 2 As the next day dawned, the Union Army had established strong positions from Culp’s Hill to Cemetery Ridge. Lee assessed his enemy’s positions and determined–against the advice of his defensively minded second-in-command, James Longstreet–to attack the Federals where they stood. He ordered Longstreet to lead an attack on the Union left, while Ewell’s corps would strike the right, near Culp’s Hill. Though his orders were to attack as early in the day as possible, Longstreet didn’t get his men into position until 4 pm, when they opened fire on the Union corps commanded by Daniel Sickles .

Over the next several hours, bloody fighting raged along Sickles’ line, which stretched from the nest of boulders known as Devil’s Den into a peach orchard, as well as in a nearby wheat field and on the slopes of Little Round Top. Thanks to fierce fighting by one Minnesota regiment, the Federals were able to hold Little Round Top, but lost the orchard, field and Devil’s Den; Sickles himself was seriously wounded. Ewell’s men had advanced on the Union forces at Culp’s Hill and East Cemetery Hill in coordination with Longstreet’s 4 pm attack, but Union forces had stalled their attack by dusk. Both armies suffered extremely heavy losses on July 2, with 9,000 or more casualties on each side. The combined casualty total from two days of fighting came to nearly 35,000, the largest two-day toll of the war. Battle of Gettysburg, Day 3: July 3 Early on the morning of July 3, Union forces of the Twelfth Army Corps pushed back a Confederate threat against Culp’s Hill after a seven-hour firefight and regained their strong position.

Believing his men had been on the brink of victory the day before, Lee decided to send three divisions (preceded by an artillery barrage) against the Union center on Cemetery Ridge. Fewer than 15,000 troops, led by a division under George Pickett , would be tasked with marching some three-quarters of a mile across open fields to attack dug-in Union infantry positions. Despite Longstreet’s protests, Lee was determined, and the attack–later known as “Pickett’s Charge”–went forward around 3 pm, after an artillery bombardment by some 150 Confederate guns. Union infantry opened fire on the advancing rebels from behind stone walls, while regiments from Vermont , New York and Ohio hit both of the enemy’s flanks. Caught from all sides, barely half of the Confederates survived, and Pickett’s division lost two-thirds of its men. As the survivors stumbled back to their opening position, Lee and Longstreet scrambled to shore up their defensive line after the failed assault. Battle of Gettysburg: Aftermath and Impact His hopes of a victorious invasion of the North dashed, Lee waited for a Union counterattack on July 4, but it never came.

That night, in heavy rain, the Confederate general withdrew his decimated army toward Virginia. Though the cautious Meade would be criticized for not pursuing the enemy after Gettysburg, the battle was a crushing defeat for the Confederacy. Union casualties in the battle numbered 23,000, while the Confederates had lost some 28,000 men–more than a third of Lee’s army. The North rejoiced while the South mourned, its hopes for foreign recognition of the Confederacy erased. Demoralized by the defeat at Gettysburg, Lee offered his resignation to President Jefferson Davis , but was refused. Though the great Confederate general would go on to win other victories, the Battle of Gettysburg (combined with Ulysses S. Grant’s victory at Vicksburg, also on July 4) irrevocably turned the tide of the Civil War in the Union’s favor. Tags Confederate Commanders at the Battle of Gettysburg General Robert E. Lee - Army of Northern Virginia The son of American Revolution hero "Light Horse Harry" Lee, Robert E. Lee graduated second in West Point's class of 1829.

Serving as an engineer on the staff of Major General Winfield Scott during the Mexican-American War , he distinguished himself during the campaign against Mexico City . Recognized as one of the US Army's brightest officers at the beginning of the Civil War, Lee elected to follow his home state of Virginia out of the Union. Assuming command of the Army of Northern Virginia in May 1862 after Seven Pines , he won a series of dramatic victories over Union forces during the Seven Days Battles, Second Manassas , Fredericksburg , and Chancellorsville . Invading Pennsylvania in June 1863, Lee's army became engaged at Gettysburg on July 1. Reaching the field, he directed his commanders to drive Union forces off the high ground south of the town. When this failed, Lee attempted attacks on both Union flanks the next day. Unable to gain ground, he directed a massive assault against the Union center on July 3. Known as Pickett's Charge , this attack was unsuccessful and resulted in Lee retreating from the town two days later. More » Lieutenant General James Longstreet.

Photograph Source: Public Domain Lieutenant General James Longstreet - First Corps A weak student while at West Point, James Longstreet graduated in 1842. Taking part in the 1847 Mexico City campaign, he was wounded during the Battle of Chapultepec . Though not an avid secessionist, Longstreet cast his lot with the Confederacy when the Civil War began. Rising to command the Army of Northern Virginia's First Corps, he saw action during the Seven Days Battles and delivered the deciding blow at Second Manassas. Absent from Chancellorsville, First Corps rejoined the army for the invasion of Pennsylvania. Arriving on the field at Gettysburg, two of its divisions were tasked with turning the Union left on July 2. Unable to do so, Longstreet was ordered to direct Pickett's Charge the next day. Lacking confidence in the plan, he was unable to verbalize the order to send the men forward and only nodded in ascent. Longstreet was later blamed by Southern apologists for the Confederate defeat. More » Lieutenant General Richard Ewell.

Photograph Courtesy of the National Archives & Records Administration Lieutenant General Richard Ewell - Second Corps A grandson of the first US Secretary of the Navy, Richard Ewell graduated from West Point in 1840. Like his peers, he saw extensive action during the Mexican-American War while serving with the 1st US Dragoons. Spending the bulk of the 1850s in the southwest, Ewell resigned from the US Army in May 1861 and took command of Virginia cavalry forces. Made a brigadier general the following month, he proved an able division commander during Jackson's Valley Campaign in late spring 1862. Losing part of his left leg at Second Manassas, Ewell rejoined the army after Chancellorsville and received command of a restructured Second Corps. In the vanguard of the Confederate advance into Pennsylvania, his troops attacked Union forces at Gettysburg from the north on July 1. Driving back the Union XI Corps, Ewell elected not to press the attack against Cemetery and Culp's Hills late in the day. This failure led to them becoming key parts of the Union line for the remainder of the battle.

Over the next two days, Second Corps mounted a series of unsuccessful attacks against both positions. More » Lieutenant General Ambrose Powell HIll. Photograph Courtesy of the National Archives & Records Administration Lieutenant General Ambrose P. Hill - Third Corps Graduating from West Point in 1847, Ambrose P. Hill was sent south to take part in the Mexican-American War. Arriving too late to participate in the fighting, he served in occupation duty before spending most of the 1850s in garrison duty. With the beginning of the Civil War, Hill assumed command of the 13th Virginia Infantry. Performing well in the war's early campaigns, he received a promotion to brigadier general in February 1862. Assuming command of the Light Division, Hill became one of Jackson's most reliable subordinates. With Jackson's death in May 1863, Lee gave him command of the newly-formed Third Corps. Approaching Gettysburg from the northwest, it was part of Hill's forces which opened the battle on July 1. Heavily engaged against the Union I Corps through the afternoon, Third Corps took significant losses before driving back the enemy.

Bloodied, Hill's troops were largely inactive on July 2, but contributed two-thirds of the men to Pickett's Charge on the battle's final day. More » Major General J.E.B. Stuart. Photograph Courtesy of the National Archives &Records Administration Major General J.E.B. Stuart - Cavalry Division Completing his studies at West Point in 1854, J.E.B. Stuart spent the years before the Civil War serving with cavalry units on the frontier. In 1859, he aided Lee in capturing noted abolitionist John Brown after his raid on Harpers Ferry . Joining Confederate forces in May 1861, Stuart quickly became one of the top Southern cavalry officers in Virginia. Performing well on the Peninsula, he famously rode around the Army of the Potomac and was given command of the newly-created Cavalry Division in July 1862. Consistently out-performing the Union cavalry, Stuart took part in all of the Army of Northern Virginia's campaigns. In May 1863, he delivered a strong effort leading Second Corps at Chancellorsville after Jackson was wounded.

This was offset when his division was surprised and almost defeated the next month at Brandy Station . Tasked with screening Ewell's advance into Pennsylvania, Stuart strayed too far east and failed to provide key information to Lee in the days before Gettysburg. Arriving on July 2, he was rebuked by his commander. On July 3, Stuart's cavalry fought their Union counterparts east of town but failed to gain an advantage. Though he skillfully covered the retreat south after the battle, he was made one of the scapegoats for the defeat due to his absence prior to the battle. More » The Battle of Gettysburg Summary & Facts | Civilwar.org July 1 - 3, 1863 Adams County, Pennsylvania After his astounding victory at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia, in May 1863, Robert E. Lee led his Army of Northern Virginia in its second invasion of the North—the Gettysburg Campaign. With his army in high spirits, Lee intended to collect supplies in the abundant Pennsylvania farmland and take the fighting away from war-ravaged Virginia.

He wanted to threaten Northern cities, weaken the North's appetite for war and, especially, win a major battle on Northern soil and strengthen the peace movement in the North. Prodded by President Abraham Lincoln, Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker moved his Union Army of the Potomac in pursuit, but was relieved of command just three days before the battle. Hooker's successor, Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade, moved northward, keeping his army between Lee and Washington, D.C. When Lee learned that Meade was in Pennsylvania, Lee concentrated his army around Gettysburg. Elements of the two armies collided west and north of the town on July 1, 1863. Union cavalry under Brig. Gen. John Buford slowed the Confederate advance until Union infantry, the Union 1st and 11th Corps, arrived. More Confederate reinforcements under generals A.P. Hill and Richard Ewell reached the scene, however, and 30,000 Confederates ultimately defeated 20,000 Yankees, who fell back through Gettysburg to the hills south of town--Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill.

On the second day of battle, the Union defended a fishhook-shaped range of hills and ridges south of Gettysburg with around 90,000 soldiers. Confederates essentially wrapped around the Union position with 70,000 soldiers. On the afternoon of July 2, Lee launched a heavy assault on the Union left flank, and fierce fighting raged at Devil's Den, Little Round Top, the Wheatfield, the Peach Orchard and Cemetery Ridge. On the Union right, demonstrations escalated into full-scale assaults on Culp's Hill and East Cemetery Hill. Although the Confederates gained ground, the Union defenders still held strong positions by the end of the day. On July 3, fighting resumed on Culp's Hill, and cavalry battles raged to the east and south, but the main event was a dramatic infantry assault by 12,000 Confederates against the center of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge--Pickett's Charge. The charge was repulsed by Union rifle and artillery fire, at great losses to the Confederate army. Lee led his army on a torturous retreat back to Virginia.

As many as 51,000 soldiers from both armies were killed, wounded, captured or missing in the three-day battle. Four months after the battle, President Lincoln used the dedication ceremony for Gettysburg's Soldiers National Cemetery to honor the fallen Union soldiers and redefine the purpose of the war in his historic Gettysburg Address. Ten Facts about Gettysburg It is perhaps the most famous battle of the Civil War, but Gettysburg is still plagued by misinformation. Set the record straight with these ten key facts. The History Place - Battle of Gettysburg Battle of Gettysburg This most famous and most important Civil War Battle occurred over three hot summer days, July 1 to July 3, 1863, around the small market town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It began as a skirmish but by its end involved 160,000 Americans. Before the battle, major cities in the North such as Philadelphia, Baltimore and even Washington were under threat of attack from General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia which had crossed the Potomac River and marched into Pennsylvania.

The Union Army of the Potomac under its very new and untried commander, General George G. Meade , marched to intercept Lee. ADVERTISEMENT On Tuesday morning, June 30, an infantry brigade of Confederate soldiers searching for shoes headed toward Gettysburg (population 2,400). The Confederate commander looked through his field glasses and spotted a long column of Federal cavalry heading toward the town. He withdrew his brigade and informed his superior, Gen. Henry Heth, who in turn told his superior, A.P. Hill , he would go back the following morning and "get those shoes." Wednesday morning, July 1, two divisions of Confederates headed back to Gettysburg. They ran into Federal cavalry west of the town at Willoughby Run and the skirmish began. Events would quickly escalate. Lee rushed 25,000 men to the scene. The Union had less than 20,000. After much fierce fighting and heavy casualties on both sides, the Federals were pushed back through the town of Gettysburg and regrouped south of the town along the high ground near the cemetery. Lee ordered Confederate General R.S.

Ewell to seize the high ground from the battle weary Federals "if practicable." Gen. Ewell hesitated to attack thereby giving the Union troops a chance to dig in along Cemetery Ridge and bring in reinforcements with artillery. By the time Lee realized Ewell had not attacked, the opportunity had vanished. Meade arrived at the scene and thought it was an ideal place to do battle with Lee's Army. Meade anticipated reinforcements totaling up to 100,000 men to arrive and strengthen his defensive position. Confederate General James Longstreet saw the Union position as nearly impregnable and told Lee it should be left alone. He argued that Lee's Army should instead move east between the Union Army and Washington and build a defensive position thus forcing the Federals to attack them instead. But Lee believed his own army was invincible and he was also without his much needed cavalry which served as his eyes and ears during troop movements. Cavalry leader Jeb Stuart had gone off with his troops to harass the Federals. Stuart's expedition would turn out to be for the most part a wild goose chase which left Lee at a disadvantage until he returned.

Lee decided to attack the Union Army's defensive position at the southern end of Cemetery Ridge which he thought was less well defended. About 10 a.m. the next morning, Thursday, July 2, Gen. Longstreet was ordered by Lee to attack. But Longstreet was quite slow in getting his troops into position and didn't attack until 4 p.m. that afternoon thus giving the Union Army even more time to strengthen its position. When Longstreet attacked, some of the most bitter fighting of the Civil War erupted at places now part of American military folklore such as Little Round Top, Devil's Den, the Wheat Field and the Peach Orchard. Longstreet took the Peach Orchard but was driven back at Little Round Top. About 6:30 p.m. Gen. Ewell attacked the Union line from the north and east at Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill. The attack lasted into darkness but was finally unsuccessful at Cemetery Hill, although the Rebels seized some trenches on Culp's Hill. By about 10:30 p.m., the day's fighting came to an end. The Federals had lost some ground during the Rebel onslaught but still held the strong defensive position along Cemetery Ridge.

Both sides regrouped and counted their causalities while the moaning and sobbing of thousands of wounded men on the slopes and meadows south of Gettysburg could be heard throughout the night under the blue light of a full moon. Generals from each side gathered in war councils to plan for the coming day. Union commander Meade decided his army would remain in place and wait for Lee to attack. On the Confederate side, Longstreet once again tried to talk Lee out of attacking such a strong position. But Lee thought the battered Union soldiers were nearly beaten and would collapse under one final push. Lee decided to gamble to win the Battle of Gettysburg and in effect win the Civil War by attacking the next day at the center of the Union line along Cemetery Ridge where it would be least expected. To do this he would send in the fresh troops of Gen. George Pickett. Along with this, Gen. Ewell would renew the assault on Culp's hill. But as dawn broke on Friday, July 3, about 4:30 a.m., Lee's timetable was undermined as Union cannons pounded the Rebels on Culp's Hill to drive them from the trenches.

The Rebels did not withdraw, but instead attacked the Federals around 8 a.m. Thus began a vicious three hour struggle with the Rebels charging time after time up the hill only to be beaten back. The Federals finally counter attacked and drove the Rebels off the hill and east across Rock Creek. Around 11 a.m. the fighting on Culp's Hill stopped. An eerie quiet settled over the whole battlefield. Once again Lee encountered opposition to his battle plan from Longstreet. Lee estimated about 15,000 men would participate in the Rebel charge on Cemetery Ridge. Longstreet responded, "It is my opinion that no 15,000 men ever arrayed for battle can take that position." But Lee was unmoved. The plan would go on as ordered. Throughout the morning and into the afternoon amid 90° heat and stifling humidity the Rebels moved into position in the woods opposite Cemetery Ridge for the coming charge. Interestingly, some Union troops were moved away from Cemetery Ridge on Meade's orders because he thought Lee would attack again in the south. Several hours before, Meade had correctly predicted Lee would attack the center, but now thought otherwise.

He left only 5,750 infantrymen stretched out along the half-mile front to initially face the 15,000 man Rebel charge. Lee sent Jeb Stuart's recently returned cavalry to go behind the Union position in order to divert Federal forces from the main battle area. Around noon, Union and Confederate cavalry troops clashed three miles east of Gettysburg but Stuart was eventually repulsed by punishing cannon fire and the Union cavalry led in part by 23 year old Gen. George Custer . The diversion attempt failed. Back at the main battle site, just after 1 p.m. about 170 Confederate cannons opened fire on the Union position on Cemetery Ridge to pave the way for the Rebel charge. This was the heaviest artillery barrage of the war but many of the Rebel shells missed their targets and flew harmlessly overhead. The Federals returned heavy cannon fire and soon big clouds of blinding smoke and dust hung over the battlefield. Around 2:30 p.m. the Federals slowed their rate of fire, then ceased, to conserve ammunition and to fool the Rebels into thinking the cannons were knocked out - exactly what the Rebels did think.

Pickett went to see Longstreet and asked, "General, shall I advance?" Longstreet, now overwhelmed with emotion, did not respond, but simply bowed his head and raised his hand. Thus the order was given. "Charge the enemy and remember old Virginia!" yelled Pickett as 12,000 Rebels formed an orderly line that stretched a mile from flank to flank. In deliberate silence and with military pageantry from days gone by, they slowly headed toward the Union Army a mile away on Cemetery Ridge as the Federals gazed in silent wonder at this spectacular sight. But as the Rebels got within range, Federal cannons using grapeshot (a shell containing iron balls that flew apart when fired) and deadly accurate rifle volleys ripped into the Rebels killing many and tearing holes in the advancing line. What had been, just moments before, a majestic line of Rebel infantry, quickly became a horrible mess of dismembered bodies and dying wounded accompanied by a mournful roar. But the Rebels continued on. As they got very close, the Rebels stopped and fired their rifles once at the Federals then lowered their bayonets and commenced a running charge while screaming the Rebel yell.

A fierce battle raged for an hour with much brutal hand to hand fighting, shooting at close range and stabbing with bayonets. For a brief moment, the Rebels nearly had their chosen objective, a small clump of oak trees atop Cemetery Ridge. But Union reinforcements and regrouped infantry units swarmed in and opened fire on the Rebel ranks. The battered, outnumbered Rebels finally began to give way and this great human wave that had been Pickett's Charge began to recede as the men drifted back down the slope. The supreme effort of Lee's army had been beaten back, leaving 7,500 of his men lying on the field of battle. Lee rode out and met the survivors, telling them, "It is all my fault." And to Pickett he said, "Upon my shoulders rests the blame." Later when he got back to headquarters Lee exclaimed, "Too bad. Too bad! Oh, too bad!" The gamble had failed. The tide of the war was now permanently turned against the South. Confederate causalities in dead, wounded and missing were 28,000 out of 75,000.

Union casualties were 23,000 out of 88,000. That night and into the next day, Saturday, July 4, Confederate wounded were loaded aboard wagons that began the journey back toward the South. Lee was forced to abandon his dead and begin a long slow withdrawal of his army back to Virginia. Union commander Meade, out of fatigue and caution, did not immediately pursue Lee, infuriating President Lincoln who wrote a bitter letter to Meade (never delivered) saying he missed a "golden opportunity" to end the war right there. On November 19, President Lincoln went to the battlefield to dedicate it as a military cemetery. The main orator, Edward Everett of Massachusetts, delivered a two hour formal address. The president then had his turn. He spoke in his high, penetrating voice and in a little over two minutes delivered the Gettysburg Address , surprising many in the audience by its shortness and leaving others quite unimpressed. Over time, however, the speech and its words - government of the People, by the People, for the People - have come to symbolize the definition of democracy itself.

Copyright © 1996 The History Place All Rights Reserved Union and Confederate Soldiers Who Fought at Gettysburg Two armies clashed during the American Civil War: soldiers who fought at Gettysburg were from the Army of Northern Virginia (the Confederacy) commanded by Gen. Robert E. Lee and soldiers from the Army of the Potomac (the Union) commanded by Gen. George G. Meade. Neither Gen. Lee nor Meade anticipated a battle at Gettysburg, but chance brought these two forces together at Gettysburg. At the end of three days of fighting, Union forces eventually defeated the Confederates. The Confederates never again reached the military strength that they held at Gettysburg, yet the Civil War raged on for two more years after the Battle of Gettysburg. More than 165,000 soldiers fought at Gettysburg; approximately 51,000 were casualties of battle (killed, wounded, captured or missing), divided nearly equally between the two armies. Commanders Who Fought at Gettysburg Gen. Robert E. Lee Gen. Robert E. Lee was the most admired military leader in both the Union and Confederate armies.

At the beginning of the Civil War, he turned down an invitation to command the Union army, citing loyalty to his home state of Virginia. His skill in battle led to stunning Confederate victories in earlier battles with Union forces. Lee was known for being honest, even in defeat, particularly the defeat of Confederate forces at Gettysburg during Pickett’s Charge. Today, Robert E. Lee is memorialized through the Virginia Memorial, which overlooks the fields of Pickett’s Charge on the battlefield. He is seated atop his horse “Traveller.” Gen. George G. Meade Gen. George Meade offered to serve Pennsylvania at the beginning of the Civil War. Meade’s reputation for being short-tempered and obstinate earned him the nickname “Old Snapping Turtle.” In May 1863, Meade was assigned to the Fifth Army Corps, and just three days before the Battle of Gettysburg, a courier informed him that he had been appointed commander of the Union army. While he was hesitant at first to accept his assignment, Meade eventually realized his duties in service to the Union army. Today, Gen.

Meade is memorialized through an equestrian monument at Cemetery Ridge, seated atop his horse “Old Baldy.” Gen. John Reynolds Soldiers from both the Union and Confederate armies believed John Reynolds was the best general in the Union forces. Reynolds was first approached to command the Union forces shortly before the Battle of Gettysburg in early June 1863, but he declined, suggesting Gen. George Meade for the position. Meade, in turn, asked Reynolds to command one wing of the Union army: the three corps closest to Gettysburg. A Lancaster, Pa., native, Reynolds did not live to see the end of battle. He was killed by a Confederate bullet on July 1 —the highest-ranking officer on either side killed at Gettysburg. Today, several monuments at Gettysburg National Military Park honor Gen. Reynolds: an equestrian statue on McPherson’s Ridge, a statue by John Quincy Adams Ward inside the Soldiers’ National Cemetery and a bronze figure along the base of the Pennsylvania Memorial. Gen. James Longstreet Gen. James Longstreet was perhaps one of the most controversial figures of the Civil War.

During the Battle of Gettysburg, Longstreet voiced his opposition to the idea of Pickett’s Charge. He eventually gave his assent while sitting on a fence in a wooded section of Seminary Ridge, refusing to watch the charge, which he believed was a lost cause. After the Civil War, Longstreet further fueled controversy by joining the Republican Party (of which Abraham Lincoln had been a member) and by criticizing Robert E. Lee’s field decisions at Gettysburg. Today, Gen. Longstreet is memorialized through a memorial that was erected on the battlefield in 1998. The Longstreet Memorial is situated at ground level and captures Longstreet on horseback, leaning toward West Confederate Avenue. John Burns John Burns wasn’t officially a soldier in the Union army, but he helped serve at the Battle of Gettysburg. The 69-year-old veteran of the War of 1812 grabbed a rifle and fought with the 7th Wisconsin Infantry on the first day of battle. Burns was wounded three times, captured by Confederates and was eventually released. After the battle, Burns became a national hero. He died in 1872 and is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Gettysburg.

After his death, veterans proposed a monument to Burns, and on July 1, 1903, the 40th anniversary of the battle, John Burns’ memorial was dedicated on McPherson’s Ridge next to Herbst Woods. 1195 Baltimore Pike Gettysburg, PA 17325 United States Museum and Visitor Center Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Battle of Gettysburg - Union Leaders - Corps Commanders Major General George G. Meade - Army of the Potomac A Pennsylvanian and West Point graduate, Meade saw action during the Mexican-American War and served on the staff of Major General Zachary Taylor . With the beginning of the Civil War, he was appointed a brigadier general and quickly moved up to corps command. Meade assumed command of the Army of the Potomac on June 28 following the relief of Major General Joseph Hooker . Learning of the fighting in Gettysburg on July 1, he sent Major General Winfield S. Hancock ahead to assess the field before arriving in person that evening.

Establishing his headquarters behind the Union center at the Leister Farm, Meade directed the defense of the Union line the next day. Holding a council of war that night, he elected to continue the battle and completed the defeat of General Robert E. Lee 's Army of Northern Virginia the next day. In the wake of the fighting, Meade was criticized for not vigorously pursuing the beaten enemy. More » Major General John F. Reynolds. Photograph Courtesy of the Library of Congress Major General John Reynolds - I Corps Another Pennsylvanian, John Reynolds graduated from West Point in 1841. A veteran of Major General Winfield Scott 's 1847 campaign against Mexico City , he was widely considered one of the best commanders in the Army of the Potomac. This opinion was shared by President Abraham Lincoln who offered him command of the army following Hooker's removal. Unwilling to be fettered by the political aspects of the position, Reynolds declined. On July 1, Reynolds led his I Corps into Gettysburg to support Brigadier General John Buford 's cavalry which had engaged the enemy. Shortly after his arrival, Reynolds was killed while deploying troops near Herbst Woods.

With his death, command of I Corps passed to Major General Abner Doubleday and later Major General John Newton . More » Major General Winfield S. Hancock. Photograph Courtesy of the National Archives & Records Administration Major General Winfield Scott Hancock - II Corps An 1844 graduate of West Point, Winfield S. Hancock served in his namesake's Mexico City campaign three years later. Made a brigadier general in 1861, he earned the nickname "Hancock the Superb" during the Peninsula Campaign the following year. Taking command of II Corps in May 1863 after the Battle of Chancellorsville , Hancock was sent ahead by Meade on July 1 to determine if the army should fight at Gettysburg. Arriving, he clashed with XI Corps' Major General Oliver O. Howard who was senior. Occupying the center of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge, II Corps played a role in the fighting in the Wheatfield on July 2 and bore the brunt of Pickett's Charge the next day. In the course of the action, Hancock was wounded in the thigh. More » Major General Daniel Sickles.

Photograph Courtesy of the Library of Congress Major General Daniel Sickles - III Corps A New Yorker, Daniel Sickles was elected to Congress in 1856. Three years later, he killed his wife's lover but was acquitted in the first use of the insanity defense in the United States. With the beginning of the Civil War, Sickles raised several regiments for the Union Army. In reward, he was made a brigadier general in September 1861. A solid commander in 1862, Sickles received command of III Corps in February 1863. Arriving early on July 2, he was ordered form III Corps on Cemetery Ridge to the south of II Corps. Unhappy with the ground, Sickles advanced his men to the Peach Orchard and Devil's Den without notifying Meade. Overextended, his corps came under attack from Lieutenant General James Longstreet and was nearly crushed. Sickles' action forced Meade to shift reinforcements to his part of the battlefield. As the fighting raged, Sickles was wounded and ultimately lost his right leg. More » Major General George Sykes.

Photograph Courtesy of the Library of Congress Major General George Sykes - V Corps A West Point graduate, George Sykes took part in both Taylor and Scott's campaigns during the Mexican-American War. A no-nonsense soldier, he spent the early years of the Civil War leading a division of US Regulars. Stronger in defense than attack, Sykes assumed command of V Corps on June 28 when Meade ascended to lead the army. Arriving on July 2, V Corps entered the battle in support of III Corps' crumbling line. Fighting in the Wheatfield, Sykes men distinguished themselves while other elements of the corps, notably Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain 's 20th Maine, conducted the vital defense of Little Round Top. Reinforced by VI Corps, V Corps held the Union left through night and July 3. More » Major General John Sedgwick. Photograph Courtesy of the Library of Congress Major General John Sedgwick - VI Corps Graduating from West Point in 1837, John Sedgwick first saw action during the Second Seminole War and later during the Mexican-American War.

Made a brigadier general in August 1861, he was liked by his men and known as "Uncle John." Taking part in the Army of the Potomac's campaigns, Sedgwick proved a reliable commander and was given VI Corps in early 1863. Reaching the field late on July 2, the lead elements of VI Corps were used to plug holes in the line around the Wheatfield and Little Round Top while the rest of Sedgwick's troops were held in reserve on the Union left. Following the battle, VI Corps was ordered to pursue the retreating Confederates. More » Major General Oliver O. Howard. Photograph Courtesy of the Library of Congress Major General Oliver O. Howard - XI Corps A superior student, Oliver O. Howard graduated fourth in his class at West Point. Experiencing a deep conversion to evangelical Christianity early in his career, he lost his right arm at Seven Pines in May 1862. Returning to action that fall, Howard performed well and in April 1863 was given command of the largely immigrant XI Corps. Resented by his men for his strict demeanor, the corps performed badly at Chancellorsville the following month.

The second Union corps to arrive at Gettysburg on July 1, Howard's troops deployed north of the town. Attacked by Lieutenant General Richard Ewell , XI Corps's position collapsed when one of its divisions moved out of position and additional Confederate troops arrived on Howard's right. Falling back through the town, XI Corps spent the remainder of the battle defending Cemetery Hill. In charge of the field following Reynolds' death, Howard was unwilling to relinquish command when Hancock arrived at Meade's behest. More » Major General Henry Slocum. Photograph Courtesy of the Library of Congress Major General Henry Slocum - XII Corps A native of western New York, Henry Slocum graduated from West Point in 1852 and was assigned to the artillery. Leaving the US Army four years later, he returned at the start of the Civil War and was made colonel of the 27th New York State Infantry. Seeing fighting at First Bull Run , on the Peninsula, and Antietam , Slocum received command of XII Corps in October 1862.

Receiving calls for assistance from Howard on July 1, Slocum was slow to respond and XII Corps did not reach Gettysburg until that evening. As XII Corps assumed a position on Culp's Hill, Slocum was placed in command of the army's right wing. In this role, he resisted Meade's orders to send the entirety of XII Corps to reinforce the Union left the next day. This proved critical as the Confederates later mounted several assaults against Culp's Hill. Following the battle, XII Corps played a role in pursuing the Confederates south. More » Major General Alfred Pleasonton. Photograph Courtesy of the Library of Congress Major General Alfred Pleasonton - Cavalry Corps Completing his time at West Point in 1844, Alfred Pleasonton initially served on the frontier with the dragoons before taking part in the early battles of the Mexican-American War. A dandy and political climber, he ingratiated himself with Major General George B. McClellan during the Peninsula Campaign and was made a brigadier general in July 1862.

During the Antietam Campaign, Pleasonton earned the nickname "The Knight of Romance" for his fanciful and inaccurate scouting reports. Given command of the Army of the Potomac's Cavalry Corps in May 1863, he was mistrusted by Meade and directed to remain close to headquarters. As a result, Pleasonton played little direct role in the fighting at Gettysburg. More » The Battle of Gettysburg Summary & Facts | Civilwar.org July 1 - 3, 1863 Adams County, Pennsylvania In the summer of 1863, Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee launched his second invasion of Northern territory. Like his last foray that ended at bloody Antietam, Lee sought to score politically meaningful victories, take the war out of the ravaged Virginia farmland, and gather supplies for his army. He was pursued first by Union Gen. Joseph Hooker, and then by Gen. George Meade, who replaced Hooker in late June. The opposing forces collided at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on July 1.

In severe fighting, the Confederates swept the Federals from the fields west and north of town, but were unable to secure the heights to the south. The following day, Lee attacked the Federals on the heights, but failed to dislodge the defenders. On July 3rd, Lee attacked the Union center on Cemetery Ridge and was repulsed in what is now known as Pickett’s Charge. Lee's second invasion of the North had failed, and had resulted in heavy casualties; an estimated 51,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, captured, or listed as missing after Gettysburg. Maps

Question: Who commanded the Confederate forces at the Battle of Gettysburg?
Answer: (Robert E.) LEE